Study in Japan

I keep on getting frequent queries from fellow students on social media platforms about the preparation for studying in Japan. I reply to everyone with similar information. So today, I decided to write a blog and summarize it all.

Let me introduce myself first so that those who do not know me can follow my words better.

My name is Ravi Prakash Joshi, and I am from India. I received my Ph.D. degree from the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Japan) under the supervision of Prof. Shibata. During my Ph.D., I worked on assistive robotics and developed a robotic system to aid the elderly to get them dressed up. The motivation of my research work was closely related to the demographic trends in developed countries such as Japan and others. Enough about me, let’s get into the topic, i.e., study in Japan.

Well, it is a little difficult to get admitted to a Japanese university because there is no proper (or should I say complete?) information about it, which is why I have received similar questions on social media so many times. As per my knowledge, there are various ways for it:

  1. Apply for the Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship.
  2. Check and join if there is a “Study in Japan” fair in your country.
  3. Find out collaborations your university may have with a Japanese university.
  4. Contact a professor at a Japanese university where you want to study.

The first way is quite straightforward. You may search on Google to find the MEXT website of your country. Please read it carefully and pay attention to the various application deadlines. Depending on your country, you can find opportunities listed on their website for higher studies.

For the second way, you should look at the website of the embassy of Japan for your country. Furthermore, you should also check the website of the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO). Basically, there is a special event called “Study in Japan” organized by Japanese institutions in many countries, giving an opportunity for discussing your higher studies. I highly recommend joining it once!

For the third way, you should discuss the matter in your university with your professor (or designated department). Japanese universities mostly have collaborations worldwide. So If you are lucky enough, you can make it to Japan. Sometimes, you may get a chance for an internship and work at a laboratory. During the internship period, you can make up your mind and can show your strong desire to the Japanese professor for higher studies.

For the fourth way, you need to have contact with the Japanese professor. If you are planning for a master’s degree or Ph.D. degree, I recommend creating an impressive profile first. For example, you can submit your undergraduate work or other research/project work to a conference (preferably an international conference). If your manuscript gets accepted, you have a chance to meet a professor who is working in your field. In this way, you can make contacts. On the other hand, if you directly send an email to a professor you have never met, there is a rare chance of getting a response from him. Believe me, professors receive so many similar emails from students, and they can’t reply to everyone because of their busy schedules.

Overall, the process of getting accepted to a Japanese university takes time. So it would be best if you start your homework accordingly.

Finally, on a side note, you are free to check the laboratory from where I received my Ph.D. degree in the field of robotics. Recently, a new program called Global AAR course is accepting international students every year. Fortunately, this course offers the MEXT scholarship.

References

Following are the useful links I discussed above-

  1. Study in Japan: https://www.studyinjapan.go.jp/en/
  2. JASSO: https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/
  3. Shibata Laboratory: http://www.brain.kyutech.ac.jp/~tom/
  4. Global AAR Course: http://www.brain.kyutech.ac.jp/global_aar/
  5. My website: http://ravijoshi.xyz/

PS: Please note that all the above information is not an official statement and is purely based on my own knowledge.

Please feel free to comment below if you still have any doubt! I would be more than happy to help you.

Written on September 12, 2021